Different Ways
by TheStoriesThatNeverWere
Summary: Some things are inevitable.   My first Leverage fic ! Hope you enjoy it and hopefully it doesn't suck .  .
1. Unexpected

Nate looked around, just contemplating all that he had. Sophie had been right. They are a family. A very twisted up one, but very much functional.

Eliot, who was trying to get Parker off his back, was cooking for the rest of the team. Hardison was playing with his new Modern Warfare game that had him in a trance that not even parker could break. Sophie, in the other hand was concentrating on a book she had just started. To his surprise she looked pretty far into the book.

"Foods ready!" Eliot called out from the kitchen. It made Nate smile how everyone stopped what they were doing to go and eat, except for Parker who was still on Eliot`s back.

"Looks and smells good," said Parker as she just stared at the food just ready to eat it all herself. It surprised everyone how much food fit into such a small body.

"Good Job Emril!" She said with a smirk as she sat down, she knew it got on Eliot`s nerves when she called him that.

"Stop calling me that!" said Eliot with a growl. As Parker reached out to grab some food, Eliot slapped her hand away.

"You`re gonna have to wait til everyone sits down and grabs a plate." Parker just pouted and sat in her chair with her arms across her chest.

Nobody talked much at the table now since they made Hardison stop talking about games, computers, and what irritated Eliot most, the ear buds . They were all still kinda disappointed with him for skipping out on a job to play his video games. In his defense, well he still thinking of something to back him up at the moment.

A phone rang and it was Sophie`s. Eliot huffed and made comments under his breath as Sophie stepped away from the table to take the call. Nate just sat there playing with my food, waiting for her to come back.

they hadn`t done a con in three months. Which by the look of things was fine, they all really needed a long break.

"So what have you guys been up to lately?" Nate asked he had to say something to break this awkward silence. Parker was surprisingly the first to speak up.

"Well I didn`t steal anything ! I`ve been going to these chocolate festivals and they were amazing ! I tasted 12 different kinds of chocolate." She closed her eyes as if she were remembering the taste of each and every single piece of chocolate.

"Hardison?" Nate asked hoping to hear something better.

"Nothing, just hacking sports channels and doing what I do best." He said with a smile.

"What about you Eliot?" Nate can see the expression on his face he hardly ever had that face. Only when something irritated him. He shrugged,

"Nothing," was his answer.

Which seemed to bother Nate the way he answered him.

Sophie came back saying she had to be somewhere at the moment." Sorry guys- thanks Eliot the food was delicious," she added, but seem to have no effect on him. He just glared at her and looked down at his plate. It looked like Sophie actually ran out the door. As the door closed, Eliot stood up and started picking up everybody's plate.

"Ya`ll done ?" He didn`t let anybody answer, he was already in the kitchen throwing everything away. Parker didn`t mind because she had been done, Hardison in the other hand was complaining and asking what was Eliot`s problem. Nate had lost his appetite so he didn`t really mind. He didn`t even want to know what was Eliot`s rapid change in attitude.

After everyone had left, Nate was sitting on Sophie`s chair drinking a glass of Chianti. He was thinking about Eliot`s attitude at dinner, it bothered him but he didn`t know why. All Nate remembered that night is him literally trying to get to his bedroom but failing miserably to get up 5 steps up the stairs, so he decided t crash on the couch.

When he woke up Eliot, Parker, and Hardison came into his apartment arguing about the last job that almost put everyone in danger.

"Man I told you to let Sophie do her thing she`s best at what she does. If you hadn`t interfered – the job would`ve been much better." Hardison almost regretted all he said when he saw Eliot's expression.

"The jobs done and we`re all ok, get over it!" Everyone had a feeling Eliot was in a bad mood.

"Where`s Sophie?" Parker asked Nate. "I don`t know she should`ve been here, she`s very punctual."

Right then and there the door flew open and Sophie came in. She looked horrible. This seemed to worry Nate and Eliot since they were the first to ask her if she was ok.

"Guys I`m fine just another little small break up, nothing I`ve never experienced before." Her voice cracked when she said that, her eyes were threatening to let out tears. But she didn`t let out a single tear.

"You sure you don`t want me to rip that ass holes head off?" Anger seemed to flash Eliot`s face. He managed to get Sophie to smile.

"No, he`s not worth you ripping his head off."

"Hey Soph are you sure you`re ok?"

"Nate, I`m fine, " but Nate wasn`t convinced.

"Hey I don`t feel like going to the parade anyways, people make me uncomfortable." No one thought Parker would go through with this."If its ok, I`m gonna hang out here?"

"Yeah that's fine." Nate said looking at Eliot who was talking to Sophie quietly that he couldn`t hear. Next thing he sees is them standing up and heading out the door.

"Hey where you guys going?" Nate said almost to fast that it took awhile for Eliot to make out what he said.

"We`re just gonna go take a walk, we`ll be back soon maybe." That made Nate nervous.

Nate watched as Sophie and Eliot went out the door. He joined Parker and Hardison who were watching this horror movie that seemed to scare Hardison more than Parker, which didn`t surprise Nate at all. But during the whole movie Nate`s thoughts were somewhere else, he was thinking of Sophie.

(.)

Eventually Eliot and Sophie came back, but Sophie looked happy, and Eliot never looked better. Nate asked right away what was going on. Parker and Hardison were also looking for an explanation.

Eliot cleared his throat. "Well, Sophie and I have decided to begin to see each other _in different ways." Everyone didn`t say anything Sophie was pretty quiet, she was starring at the floor but she was still smiling._


	2. Changes

**Sorry for the late update. School has consumed my life right now. Oh and sorry if the chapter is short. Enjoy!**

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><p>For awhile things were pretty strange and felt unreal. Eliot never thought he'd feel this way again for someone, after that episode of his life with Amy. But he was content-more than that- he was happy. For the first time things were going smoothly for him.<p>

He absolutely loved everything Sophie did. And most of all he loved her. He never figured out why Nate pushed her away. Whatever the reason may be, Eliot pushed those thoughts away and just reminded himself that he had her.

No one had seen Sophie smile and laugh so much. Not even with her past relationships. Most likely because none of them really knew her, she can talk about that one time she stole her first Picasso painting, and not feel awkward. On the other hand Eliot never spoke about his past jobs. He felt regret for what he used his skills for, he thought helping people now would take the guilt away little by little.

The cons went smoothly with this new relationships. Sophie's grifts were as flawless as ever and Eliot just did job without obsessing to much about Sophie's safety, while inside it urged him to always be at her side.

Nate was surprised how calm Eliot was during cons where the mark would touch Sophie, when actually it boiled inside him. But Sophie would reassure him that it was just part of the con. It bothered Nate so much that he asked him once if it did because it also pissed him off.

"Eliot, doesn't it bug you that other men are touching her?" What Eliot responded next silenced Nate for the rest of the con.

"I trust her. "

After the cons Eliot and Sophie would disappear to their own little celebrations. They didn't go out much if it weren't for their walks around the city, going to the movie theaters, and their occasional dinners out at restaurants. Eliot cooked and very well so they both agreed that there was no need to go out. Eliot even learned new recipes that Sophie absolutely loved.

"To another job well done. " Tonight was one of their occasional nights out and it was a formal one.

Eliot cleaned rather well in a suite, at least that's what Sophie had told him before leaving to go out. Of course she looked as beautiful as ever. Eliot always admired the way she looked no matter what she had on.

" I'm still shocked on how well it went. " Eliot said with a rather concerned look.

" I'm still shocked that the marks business partner was behind it all and not him. But lets not ruin the night with all our suspicions," Sophie added a soft smile.

" I agree."

Their nights together were rarely ruined unless Parker decided to show up and disturb what they were doing to ask Sophie for advice.

Sophie had convinced Parker to talk to Hardison about how she felt towards him, but every time she tried they'd end talking about how much she loved Pretzels. It even occurred to Parker that Sophie would help her through comms. Until Hardison came forward and told her how he felt and that's what made it easy for her to confess her feelings for him.

Nate spent his free time alone, Unless Sophie would come by and keep him company. Their relationship had changed a bit. Obviously Nate was not very comfortable with a relationship within the team, especially between Sophie and Eliot. Nonetheless, he was semi-happy for them. To his and Sophie's surprise he didn't go find comfort in a bottle of scotch. He knew Sophie would _hate_ him for it. Nonetheless he was happy for them.

Nate and Maggie actually started keeping each other company and it felt like old times. They rarely spoke of Sam, but it wasn't hard to talk about it with her.

" I miss him." Nate was actually the one to bring up the subject.

"Me too." Maggie said with a sad smile." You know it was never your fault right?"

"I know that now, but I can`t help feeling guilty." Inside Nate felt responsible for not having enough resources to pay for Sam`s treatment. But he suppressed those thoughts to not ruin the evening.

"So how's the team been lately?"

"Huh? Oh. Uh yeah they`ve been good." Nate practically mumbled his answer.

"What about you?" He could hear a bit of concern in her voice.

"I`ve had better days. Work has been slower but I`m rather enjoying the spaces between jobs."

"That's funny because when we were married you couldn`t wait to take up a new job."

"Things change." He said looking down at his hands.

Eliot was surprised on how much he has been learning about Sophie these past couple of months. To him they made her even more fascinating. When they were together she would enjoy teasing him until he would take control. And in the morning, it was breakfast in bed.

"So what do you wanna do today? Since I kinda dragged you around Boston to go shoe shopping for fun" She said taking another bite of her omelet. With that Sophie gave him an evil grin and Eliot just narrowed his eyes. But that lasted only seconds. He could never stay mad at her for any length of time.

He pulled her into a big hug and said. "There is nowhere I rather be right now."

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><p><strong>Well I hope you liked it. Obviously I`m still not done. Hopefully my next update will come faster than this one. Reviews and ideas would be very much appreciated. :)<strong>


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